I'm not saying that the price doesn't reflect the materials and labor that go into its manufacture.
But what I would probably say is that the steep price doesn't buy added functionality. Maybe one can make that case for the Optimus, with its individual LCD's, but this Maltron Executive Board doesn't do any more -- it sounds like it does less -- than the standard issue Maltron contoured board, which is hundreds of dollars less. Whatever one is buying here seems more akin to what one gets for $4000 with the lacquered HHKB Pro 2